Jerusalem -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Israel approved Wednesday the construction of a settlement in East Jerusalem just before U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is to visit the country on a peace mission .

Kerry will meet with Israeli , Palestinian Authority and Jordanian officials in Jordan and Jerusalem from Thursday to Saturday in the wake of President Barack Obama 's efforts in Israel last March urging renewed peace talks .

Palestinian chief peace negotiator Saeb Erekat called out to the world Thursday to stop Israel from building more settlement homes . Letting Tel Aviv get away with it , takes away any motivation for Israel to work towards peace , he said .

In January , the United Nations Human Rights Council said Israeli settlements amount to `` creeping annexation '' of Palestinian territories by Israel and have taken a `` heavy toll '' on the rights and sovereignty of Palestinians .

The construction of new homes is `` taking Palestinian land , lives and livelihoods , '' Erekat lamented .

Wednesday 's approval of a 69-unit settlement in East Jerusalem -- which Palestinians consider to be the capital of their future state one day -- harkens to an incident in 2010 when Israel announced another East Jerusalem settlement during a visit by Vice President Joe Biden . Then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the announcement `` insulting '' to the United States .

On Wednesday , Meir Margalit , a Jerusalem City Council member from the left-wing Meretz party , criticized Wednesday 's settlement approval and described it as `` provocation '' by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's government .

The approval by an Israeli planning committee was part of a `` very long process '' and now means that construction can start at any time , Margalit said .

`` This is a provocation by Netanyahu 's government when John Kerry is coming to re-start the negotiations , '' Margalit said .

`` To approve these houses in Har Homa , or also known as Jabal Abu Ghneim in East Jerusalem , is a foolish move . This means that Israel has no serious intentions to restart the peace process , '' Margalit said .

Israel 's construction of settlements `` is more important than peace in the Middle East , '' Margalit charged .

But a senior Israeli government official who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue said there was no political influence behind the approval process .

`` This is private land , private constructions and nothing to do with the government or with government agendas , '' the official said .

Brachie Sprung , an advisor to the Jerusalem mayor , said construction permission was granted by local planning and building committee .

`` It should be noted that the municipality has no legal right to stop the property ownership of the citizens to whom the ground belongs , '' Sprung said in a statement .

`` There is no change in the policy of the municipality over the last four years , and we are continuing to build in all the suburbs of the city according to the development program for Jews and Arabs as one , '' Sprung said .

Thousands of housing units are expected to be built throughout Jerusalem in coming years , Sprung said . `` New building in Jerusalem is necessary for the development of the city and gives the opportunity for youngsters and students to live and buy , '' Sprung added .

Hagit Ofran , settlement watch director for the Israeli activist group Peace Now , said the construction plan was initially filed in April 2012 , and the length of time behind its approval is typical .

CNN 's Kareem Khadder reported from Jerusalem and Michael Martinez wrote and reported from Los Angeles . Mike Schwartz also contributed from Jerusalem .

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NEW : Palestinian chief negotiator calls international community to stop settlements

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Israeli planning committee approves 69 homes for an East Jerusalem settlement

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Secretary of State John Kerry is to visit Jerusalem this week to renew peace talks

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Settlement approval is `` provocation ... a foolish move , '' Jerusalem councilman says